Alright, Stranger Things fans, you’d better buckle up because an absolutely mind-blowing new theatrical experience is headed to the West End that’s going to take you right back to where the chilling story of Hawkins and the Upside Down began. That’s right, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is making its world premiere on the stage and if the early buzz is any indication, this is going to be the West End theatre event of the year!
For those not in the know, Stranger Things is the wildly popular Netflix sci-fi/horror series that has captivated audiences around the world since it first hit our screens in 2016. The brainchild of the Duffer Brothers, it follows a group of plucky kids and concerned adults in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana as they confront terrifying supernatural forces stemming from an alternate dimension dubbed the “Upside Down”.
Over the first four seasons, we’ve witnessed young Will Byers’ disappearance, the emergence of the psychokinetic Eleven, battled the menacing Mind Flayer and its army of possessed humans, unravelled Russian conspiracies under the new Starcourt Mall, and most recently confronted the origins of it all with the revelation that the show’s big bad, Vecna, was once Henry Creel – a disturbed patient at Hawkins Lab with powers like Eleven. Each season has raised the stakes and expanded the vast mythology surrounding the Upside Down.
But now we’re finally going to go back to the very beginning with Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Set in 1959 Hawkins, years before the events of season 1, this gripping new story will pull back the curtain on just how the door to the Upside Down was first cracked open and tease out the key origins and details that may hold the secrets to ultimately closing it once and for all when the Duffer Brothers bring the series to its grand conclusion (whenever that may be!).
At the centre of this prequel tale is the troubled Creel family – father Victor, mother Virginia, sons Henry and Alice, and daughters Iris and Ruth. Having moved to Hawkins for a fresh start after a violent incident involving young Henry, they’ll quickly discover the shadows of the past have an unshakeable grip. The arrival of the Creels coincides with a string of mysterious events popping up around town, setting the stage for Hawkins’ first brush with the Upside Down’s dark forces.
We’ll meet iconic Stranger Things characters like a young Jim Hopper, Bob Newby, and Joyce Maldonado during their teenage years, seeing how their lives first intersected with the sinister events unfolding. And based on the promo images, it looks like the show’s very first test subject at Hawkins Lab – the future Vecna/Henry Creel – will be a pivotal focus as he comes into his own eerie powers.
Bringing this highly-anticipated new Stranger Things story to life is an absolute dream creative team led by visionary director Stephen Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot) alongside co-director Justin Martin. Between them and the Duffer Brothers’ involvement as creators, you just know the production values and adherence to the Stranger Things canon is going to be off the charts. The atmospherics, scares, and mystery are sure to be fully realised in an immersive theatrical experience.
Word is the staging and effects will blow people away, completely transporting attendees into the Upside Down with boundaries between dimensions blurring. There are even special “Shadow Seats” being offered through a weekly lottery that quite literally put some audience members into another dimension for a uniquely visceral experience. How awesome is that?
As a die-hard Stranger Things fan, I absolutely cannot wait for this. Finally getting to peel back the layers on the crucial origins and events that kickstarted this whole supernatural conspiracy in Hawkins is a dream come true. The Duffer Brothers have proven masters at deliciously parcelling out new twists and revelations over time. So you can be sure Stranger Things: The First Shadow will dole out some tantalising clues towards how this entire saga may eventually be resolved, while also no doubt leaving us vitally hungry for more.
Performances are booking up through until December 15th, 2024, so you’d better move quickly to secure your tickets and secure your place in the audience for what’s utterly bound to be one of the biggest events on the West End theatre calendar this year. Those Shadow Seats are surely going to be a hot commodity too!
Whether you’ve been following the story of Hawkins religiously since day one or you’re a more recent convert to the Stranger Things mania, this is an opportunity that cannot be missed. Who knows, maybe we’ll even get some surprise cameos from the iconic cast Members to amp up the excitement! Phase your Walkie Talkies and warm up those Christmas Lights, the next chilling chapter of the Upside Down is about to be unleashed!
